India’s Saurav Ghosal has announced his immediate retirement from professional squash at the age of 37.
Kolkata-born Ghosal is a trailblazer in his native country and remains the only Indian man to reach the world’s top 10, achieving that position in April 2019 and spending six months there.
Saurav was British Junior Open Champion in 2004, and made his PSA debut in 2003. He reached 18 finals and claimed 10 PSA titles, winning 281 of his 511 matches on the PSA Tour.
Ghosal’s most recent – and joint biggest – PSA title came at the Malaysian Open in November 2021, where he beat Colombian top seed Miguel Rodriguez in the final, and his final appearance on the PSA Tour was at the 2024 Windy City Open
Away from the PSA Tour, Saurav won Gold at the Asian Individual Championships in 2019 and Silver in the 2017 event in Chennai, and led India to gold medals in the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games team event, claimed two silver medals in the singles. He teamed up with compatriot Dipika Pallikal Karthik to win a for India in the mixed event at the 2022 WSF World Doubles.
At the Commonwealth Games in 2018, Ghosal and Pallikal Karthik claimed silver medals in the mixed doubles on the Gold Coast before taking bronze four years later in Birmingham. He also won a Bronze medal in the singles in Birmingham, becoming the first man from India to to claim a singles medal..
Saurav also represented India in several WSF World Team events, and holds a record of 13 Indian Nationals titles wins, with the last of those coming in 2020.
“Nothing would have been possible without the support of my dear grandparents, my father, my beloved wife, and the rest of my cherished family.”
They have moulded me into the person I am today. My journey would have been incomplete without the wisdom and mentorship of Malcolm Willstrop, Damon Brown, David Palmer, James Willstrop, Dr. Sheryl Calder, Gayatri Madkekar, Krushmi Chheda and the countless coaches who guided me along the way. Gratitude fills my soul as I acknowledge the Sports Ministry of India, SDAT & SRFI, and Baseline for their steadfast backing throughout the years.
A heartfelt thank you to my current sponsors, Tata Capital, Veedol, HEAD, Asics and all others who have stood by me through thick and thin. To my devoted fans, your relentless support has been my driving force through the highs and lows. I cannot express my gratitude enough for the love you’ve showered upon me.
To my fellow players, who have become like family over the years, I will forever cherish the camaraderie and respect shared on the squash court.
Making the top 10 in the world in April 2019 will always be very dear to me. Reaching the quarter-finals of the World Championships in 2013 and 2019 are experiences I will always remember fondly.
I hope to give back to the game in India by increasing the participation numbers in schools around the country, especially the smaller cities. Hopefully I will contribute in some small way to improving the general level of the players in the country and mentoring some of the top talent. And just maybe, I’ll run a big PSA event.
Saurav Ghosal Photo Gallery, 2004-2024
